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10 Most Popular Articles of 2015

What were job seekers reading on our blog in 2015? Our 10 most-read articles from 2015 cover a wide variety of topics from intel to certifications to security clearances. Here’s another look at our top 10 if you missed them the first time:

10. Strike a Power Pose, Improve Your Interview

From one of the most popular TED Talks of all time, this is a simple exercise job seekers can do to improve their performance at a job fair, an interview, or in a networking situation. If you have confidence issues this is a must see.

9. 5 Steps When You Don’t Get the Job

Career Coach Nancy Gober’s detailed step-by-step analysis of what you should do – and what you should not do – if you don’t get a position you interviewed for. It’s particularly relevant if the position you didn’t get is at one of your target employers. Nancy loves feedback so if you have success or failure with her strategy please leave her a comment or send her an email.

8. Intel Community Employment Demand, Salaries and More

An interview with Mike Bruni on the state of hiring in the intel community. Mike talks about which skill sets are less in demand, alternative career paths for transitioning intel professionals, salaries, intel demand outside the DC area, and more. Mike has transitioned from Leidos to Booz Allen Hamilton, but he’s still very active in the intel and military transition communities.

7. Interview with a Recruiter, Leslie Taylor, ICF International

This Interview with a Recruiter installment features Leslie Taylor, Lead Recruiter for ICF’s Enterprise Cyber Security Division. Read more to learn about Leslie, ICF, and the types of positions ICF seeks to fill.

6. Interview with a Recruiter, Candace Mangum, Fulcrum

This installment of our series features Candace Mangum, certified Human Resources professional with Fulcrum. Read more to learn about Fulcrum, the Fulcrum hiring process, difficult positions for them to fill and more.

5. A Guide to IT Certifications for Cleared Professionals

The push for technical certifications is not diminishing. Doug Munro gives guidance on the most popular IT certifications in the defense and intel contracting communities, including relevant certs for Network Engineering, Information Security/Assurance, Project Management and Cloud Computing. Doug concludes, “It is imperative for the career-oriented professional to obtain and maintain pertinent certifications to achieve their professional goals.”

4. Pay Cuts Layoffs and Contract Recompetes

Author Bill Branstetter has his fingers in many pies. He’s a corporate IT Recruiter, HR Director, Facility Security Officer and IT Manager. In this article Bill talks about his inside view of contract recompetes and why you might experience a pay cut or layoff as a result of a recompete.

3. Will Security Clearance Processing Lengthen

Written early in 2015 in the wake of USIS having its contract with OPM cancelled, who knew this article would foreshadow an even bigger issue – the OPM data breach. As with any of our articles on security clearances, be sure to check out the comments and replies for some interesting reading.

2. Big Declines in Security Clearance Determinations

Fewer people hold security clearances than did so in the past. That’s the bottom line of ODNI’s 2014 Report on Security Clearance Determinations, including a drop of 12.3% from 2013 to 2014 in clearance holders with a Confidential or higher security clearance.

1. 5 Little Resume Mistakes that Tell Cleared Employers You’re a Risk

If you’re not getting the kind of response to your resume that you’re hoping for, check out our most-read article of the year. It’s our second piece on the list from jack-of-all-trades and author of “The Six Second Resume,” Bill Branstetter.

Are there any subjects you would like us to cover in 2016? Anything related to cleared job search that you’d like to learn more about? Please share in the comments.